Experimental Incubator (ei) - Project Proposal 20/5/2012

Abstract

Experimental incubator is a device designated to control it’s internal conditions. The prototype is going to allow for a temperature regulation both at constant level and more importantly for controlled temperature oscillation. Another factor included is monitoring of it’s electricity consumption. The temperature is a crucial factor in food&beverage fermentations therefore device which is optimized for these purposes is needed. The novelty temperature oscillation function allows to optimize the growing conditions for cultures comprised from multiple microorganisms with wide range of temperature optimas. Next generations will be more sophisticated aiming for measurement and control of CO2, oxygen levels, stirring, humidity etc. The device will be build to comply with principles of low energy consumption, easy to repair and upgradeable structures, sturdiness in accordance with concept of environmentally friendliness. This project is based on an open source aiming to bring this tool to as many brewers and fermenters being as affordable as possible.

There is probably no need to have additional internal insulation layer because of the ventilation system requirements. Or should be the internal cooling and heating unit with the fan system insulated??? If so how and how much???

Things to discuss concerning the design of the control unit and it's heating/cooling system controlled by microcontroller.

How to “close up” the ventilation duct to the chamber so the insulation is complete???

How to “switch” the warm or cold air circulation to the incubator and out???

Ways of collaboration and sharing

Click on the fallowing link to see the experimental incubator newsletter. The most up to date version of the project can be shared on this and adjacent wiki pages. For the drafts of documents we can use Google Documents or some open alternative as Pirate Pad. For discussion mailing list could be a good option for now we could temporarily use Tastebrige or Foodhacking base discuss but own discuss list would be probably better.

Please comment, suggest and create ways how to make this happen so it is as open as possible.